Torpedo



July 4, 1939- J. H. HAMMOND,'JR

TORPEDO Filed Jan. 5, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet l 211 EN TOR.

IIIIIIIIIIIII uwJ July 4, 1939.

J. H. HAMMOND. JR

TORPEDO 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1934 R. m K\\ \N 1% o k.\ M Q a 4 W K A/ N hN s July 4, 1939.

J. H. HAMMOND,

TORPEDO vumwn-mvu wrung I, 15009 TORPEDO John Hays .t

Application January 5,

11 Claims.

This invention relates to ordnance devices and more particularly to torpedoes.

According to one form of the invention, a torpedo may be provided with a light sensitive device which controls the detonation of the explosive charge thereof when it passes beneath a ship. The torpedo mechanism may include a photoelectric cell which is energized by the light of day transmitted through the water above the torpedo. When the torpedo passes beneath the ship, the shadow causes the deenergization of the photoelectric cell which in turn may be arranged to cause the detonation of the war head.

As most modern warships are provided on their sides with so called "blisters" which make the explosion of a torpedo ineifective, it has been found necessary to detonate the torpedoes beneath the center of a ship and in contact with the hull at this point. In order to accomplish this result it is necessary to run the torpedoes at a depth several feet deeper than the draft of the ship being attacked. Passage of the torpedces beneath the ship will thus be assured in spite of the unevenness oi the torpedos run, the variable draft of the enemy ship according to loading and the effect of a seaway upon the torpedo.

The invention may also provide a means whereby the detonation of the war head of the torpedo is delayed a predetermined time after the photosensitive means has passed into the shadow of the ship in order to allow the explosion to occur near the central portion of the vessel, where it would be most effective. As it is well known that the effect of an explosion under water drops off exceedingly rapidly with increase of depth, the invention may provide means for causing the torpedo to be steered sharply upward, as soon as the light sensitive arrangement has passed into the shadow of the ship, thus causing the explosion to occur in close proximity to the hull of the enemy vessel.

This invention also consists in certain new and original features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, the mode of its operation and the manner of its organization may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, in which:

.. and, Jr... Gloucester, Mass.

1984, Serial No. 705,353 (43!. ne 21) Figure 1 represents ward portion of invention.

Figure 2 represents diagrammatically afterbody oi the same torpedo, and

Figure 3 diagrammatically illustrates course of a torpedo attacking an enemy Vi Like reference characters denote like per the several figures of the drawings.

In the following description and in the cl: parts will be identified by specific names convenience, but they are intended to bi generic in their application to similar part the art will permit.

Referring to the-accompanying drawings, more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the: shown a water-borne body such as a carrie explosives having a water tight torpedo hu and arranged to be propelled inthe usual n ner by propellers i0 located at the after The hull 9 is provided with two transverse b heads II and i2, thus providing two comp ments i3 and It, the former being filled an explosive charge it, such for example I T. N. T.

A hole is provided in the hull 9 at the of the compartment it. This hole is COW by a sheet of glass orother transparent m: rial It. Mounted in a tube ii is a lens l8 W1 is positioned directly below the hole in the l The interior of the tube i1 is painted a black so as not to reflect any light. Positio at the ,focus of the lens i8 is a photoelectric it which is connected in the input circuit oi amplifier so.

A clock-work mechanism 2i is provided wl drives a commutator 22. This commutatol provided with a conducting segment 23. To shaft of the commutator is secured an arm which normally engages a pin 26. A second 27 is provided for limiting the motion of arm 26 and the commutator 22.

Engaging the commutator 22 are four brus 28, 29, 30 and 3i. The brush 28 is connec to one side of the output circuit of the ampli 20. The brush 29 is connected to one side a solenoid 32 and to one side of a relay 33, other side of which is connected to the ot side of the amplifier 20 and to the other side the solenoid 82.

The solenoid 32 is provided with a core which is adapted to be moved to the left as she in Figure 1 when this solenoid is energized. i cured to one end of this core is a piston 31 wh reciprocates in a cylinder 38. This cylinder diagrammatically the a torpedo provided with ed with a port 88 covered by a flap valve lch is adapted to allow the air to escape r from this cylinder. The cylinder is also ed with a port 4i the opening in which is lied by a needle valve 42 tor restricting the air through this port. he other end or the core 88 is secured an ing member 48 between which and the d 82 is mounted a compression spring 48. ed on the insulating member 48 is a conwhieh is connected to the contact 8i and able times engages a contact 48 mounted insulating base 48. The contact 48 is ted to one side of a detonator 58,.the Iide of which is connected to the contact iugh a battery 8|. The back contact of ay 88 is connectedthrough a battery I58 side of a solenoid iii located in the after i the torpedo as shown in Fig. 2. The lde oi the winding of this solenoid is conthrough a switch I 82 to the contact 41. ucting segment I82 is provided in the inblock 49 and is connected to the arma-' the relay 88. :ore of the solenoid lei normally engages 52 which is mounted for reciprocationin vs casing 83 which forms part of the end :ylinder 55. This cylinder communicates e interior or the valve by means of a port 0 communicating with the interior of the i a pipe so which is supplied with fluid oressure from any suitable source (not Slidably mounted in the cylinder 58 ton 81 which is operatively connected to 58 which is pivoted for rotation about 88 supported by the shell of the torpedo. orpedo is provided with the usual ver- 1 horizontal rudders 8| and 82. The latoperated by means of a link 88 from the ;al steering engine 84 which 'is supplied id under pressure from a pipe 85 and is ad by a valve 88 operated in a well-known from the depth mechanism 81. Secured Ink 83 is a collar 88 which is located in i of travel of the arm 58. iutomatically starting the clock-work sm 2i a heavy weight 1i is secured to of a list spring 12 the upper end of fastened to the casing of the clock-work sm 2|. The weight 1| is provided with a in 18 which normally engages a finger I. controls the starting of the clock-work sm. Engaging the end of the finger 14 1g 15 which is supported on a bracket 18. operation or this system when the tor- ,ired the inertia of the weight 1| causes moved backward relative to the tors disengaging the projection 18 from the which is moved upwardly under the some spring 18 thus causing the clock-work 5m to start turning the commutator 22 determined speed. Switch I82 is closed ring. The circuit through the solenoid be open, however, as the brush 41 does 5 contact with the segment I83. After a nined interval oi time the segment 23 mmutator 22 will engage the brushes 28 hus connecting the amplifier 28 to the 82 and the relay 88 both of which will zed, as the photoelectric cell will by this receiving the light of day, focused upon ans oi' the lens 18. This will cause the at the solenoid 82 to be moved rapidly it as the air in the cylinder 88 is freely :1 through the port 38. The contact 41 moves oil. oi the segment 48 thus keeping the circuit to the detonator 88 open as the segment 22 comes into engagement with brushes 88 and 8i. The solenoid III will still remain deenergized due to the opening of its circuit by the relay 88.

This condition continues as long as the photoelectric cell i8 receives light through the lens it. When the torpedo passes beneath an enemy ship, however, the light will be cut oil from the photoelectric cell I! thus causing the deenergization of the relay 88 and the solenoid 82. The former action closes the circuit through the solenoid IBI as the contact 41 is then in engagement with the segment I88. This causes the core of this solenoid to be moved to the right thus releasing the valve 82 which is moved upwardly under the action of a spring surrounding this valve which allows the fluid under pressure to pass from the pipe 88 through the port 88 to the interior of the cylinder 84. This causes the piston 61 to be moved to the left, thus rotating the arm 58 in a counter-clockwise direction. This arm engages the collar 88 and forces it together with the link 88 to the left against the action of the steering engine 84 thus throwing the horizontal rudders 82 into the hard-up posi-- tion which causes the torpedo to be steered sharply upward.

The deenergization of the solenoid 32 allows the core 36 to be moved slowly to the right under the action of the spring 48, the speed of this motion being determined by the setting of the needle valve 62. After the predetermined interval of time the contact 41 will engage the segment 48 thus closing a circuit from the battery 5! through the segment 23 and contact 41 to the detonator 58 which is detonated thereby exploding the charge of explosive I! in the war head of the torpedo.

This explosion will take place directly under the center of the ship and in contact with the hull as the mechanism has been so timed that it will give the torpedo a suiiicient time to reach a position under the center or the ship and the horizontal rudders will have directed the torpedo upwardly so that it is in contact with the hull oi the ship.

If it is desired to operate the system without the use of the horizontal rudders the switch I52 may be opened thereby causing the solenoid l5l to remain inoperative so that the horizontal rudders will not be aflected.

Fig. 3 shows a torpedo 01' this construction attacking the enemy ship. In this figure the enemy vessel is pictured at 8! and 3 positions oi the torpedo at 82, 83 and 84 respectively. In the position shown at 82 the torpedo is running submerged at the required depth and the photoelectric cell is energized by lightrecelved through. the water. At 83 the torpedo is shown entering the shadow 85 of thehull oi the vessel 8i. At this instant the illumination oi. the photoelectric cell has been shut oil and the operation of the horizontal rudder just described has been initiated causing the torpedo to i'ollow the course indicated by the dotted line 88 until it reaches the position shown at 84 when the explosive charge will be detonated directly under the center of the ship and in contact with the hull thereof thus insuring the destruction of the enemy vessel.

In order to prevent the premature explosion of the torpedo in the event that it should pass under some floating debris and thereby momentarily occult the light sensitive means, any type of well-known delay action circuit may be incorporated in the amplifier 20, so as to make it necessary for the photoelectric cell iii to be ccculted for an appreciable length of time'before the operation of the mechanism will be initiated.

An important advantage of this system of running torpedoes at considerably greater depths than are now used is the fact that at these depths the wakes are much farther behind the torpedoeswhen they come to the surface due to the longer 'cells generate sufficient current to operate a sensitive relay directly without the use of an amplifier or a battery. A condenser may be shunted across the relay or any other well-known device may be employed to delay the operation of the relay, so that the mechanism will not be operated by a momentary occultation of the photoelectric cell, such as would be caused by the torpedo passing under floating debris.

It is well understood that instead of a photoelectric cell other devices can be specified operating on different parts of the spectrum. It would be possible to substitute in place of the photoelectric cell i9 a bolometer or other heat sensitive device which would function due to the variation of temperature.

Although only a few of the various forms in which this invention may be embodied have been shown herein, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any specific .construction, but might be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a moving body, an explosive charge carried thereby, a means for exploding said charge, a solenoid for controlling said means so that when said solenoid is deenergized it will cause the explosion of said charge and a light receptive device which, when illuminated from an external source, causes said solenoid to be energized and when not illuminated causes said solenoid to be deenergized.

2. In a moving body, an explosive charge. means for detonating said charge, a light sensitive device for operating said detonating means so that when the illumination on said device is changed it will cause the detonaation of said explosive charge and means for preventing the detonation of said explosive charge for a predetermined time after the illumination on the light sensitive device has been changed.

G 3. In combination with a moving body, a explosive charge, means for causing the detc nation of said charge and light sensitive mean including a delay device, for controlling sai detonating means so that at a predetermine interval after the intensity of illumination of sai light sensitive means is changed it will cause th detonation of said explosive charge.

4. In an underwater torpedo, rudders for con trolling the vertical movement thereof, a ligh sensitive device controlled by natural light trans mitted directly through the water for operatin; said rudders so that when the illumination 01 said device is changed it will cause said torped to be directed upwardly.

5. In an underwater torpedo, means for con trolling the course of said torpedo, means mount ed on said torpedo for receiving visible ligh transmitted directly through the water from a1 external source, and means operated by saii last means for changing the course of said torpedo.

6. The method of maneuvering a torped1 which comprises firing the torpedo, steering sai torpedo underneath an enemy hip directing said torpedo against the hull beneath the centei of said ship, and detonating said torpedo prioi to contact with the ship.

7. The method of maneuvering a torpedc which comprises firing the torpedo so that 11 will pass under an enemy ship, utilizing the shadow of said ship to deflect said torpedo upwardly and to detonate said torpedo beneath said ship 8. The method of maneuvering a torpedc which comprises firing the torpedo so that it wil? pass under an-enemy ship, causing the shadow of said ship to deflect said torpedo upwardly and initiate the detonation of the explosive charge in said torpedo and delaying the detonation oi said explosive charge for a predetermined length of time.

9. The method oi maneuvering a submarine torpedo which comprises causing said torpedo tc follow an underwater path and steering said torpedo by variations in the natural light transmitted directly through the water adjacent said torpedo.

10. In a torpedo, means to cause said torpedo to travel through the water at a depth-below the draft of the target ship and means operable by the shadow of the ship when the torpedo passes thereunder for re-directing said torpedo upwardly toward the bottom of said ship.

11. In a torpedo, means for causing said torpedo to travel through the water at a depth greater than the draft of the target ship, means carried by said torpedo for receiving radiations from an external source transmitted directly through the water thereto and means operated by variation of said radiation caused by the shadow of a ship when the torpedo passes thereunder for re-directing the torpedo upwardly toward the bottom of said ship.

com HAYS 0ND, Ja. 

